Tuesday 5 January 2016

The Art of Chess!

Hello Everyone and a very Happy New Year to One and All.  I hope you all had a lovely Festive time and are now looking forward to what the new year will bring.

I've had a good old rest from blogging and it was just what I needed, I felt as if my life was being taken over by it and FB too, but I did scroll through my dashboard to see what you were all creating and saw beautiful cards and other projects too. Some of you were really busy.

We had a lovely, lovely time over Christmas and the New Year, spent with Moreen and Damian, then friends at their house to welcome 2016. However, I am glad to get back to normal, whatever that might be.

Thank to everyone who sent us gorgeous cards, I'll have to start a new gallery, and for the fabulous ecards too.

Has anyone made resolutions?, I don't anymore, never kept to them, but one the health front, I have no choice but to do better as I have discovered that I am dairy intolerant, and have too much yeast in my system.  You may remember, those who have been followers for a time that I've had various oscopies, with nothing showing up, good in one way, but not in terms of I was still feeling really unwell. So I decided to go and have some allergy testing done, at my own expense, these things are just not available on the NHS, however, I've been trying to get my head around having no dairy products, and this is so hard as I love butter, have cream in coffee and my morning isn't the same without a bowl of cereal and cold milk. And to compound it all there seams to be yeast in just about everything.  So I might not have been blogging but I've been researching the web in order to find recipes, and substitutes for the things I can't eat.  I think I'm winning though,even through Christmas and I'm beginning to feel better. Of course I have to keep on top of the diabetes too.  Thankfully, dairy intolerance is very common, and there is loads of info, and it's no bad thing scrutinising food labels and being careful about cooking, just takes a little longer to do it all.

Anyway, that's enough about me, on to my card, killing two birds with one stone, so to speak, this is Damian's birthday card and my entry to the Chocolate Baroque Colour Challenge No. 18;

Using CB The Art of Chess Stamp set and coloured with Kuretake Gansai Watercolour paints (got them for Christmas, lucky me!) WOS and some Card Candy in the challenge colours.

So that's my first post of 2016, and I will be getting back into the swing of things again and visiting your blogs.

I'll leave you with a couple of photos of the Choral Society's Carolthon from December, we will find out the amount raised next week when we return for rehearsals;

Can you spot me singing my heart out, I really enjoyed the singing this year.

Take care and see you soon,

  I would like to enter my card into:
http://chocolatebaroquechallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/challenge-eighteen.html


23 comments:

Hazel said...

Kate, so glad you to had a good break from blogging, yet it's lovely to see you back with this brilliant card. Love it.
Not so good about the dairy thing. Yes you will have to rethink a few things. Cooking from scratch will help,as you will know what is in it.
Oh fun,fun,fun, Hazel X

Pen Sunshinepen said...

Hiya I am new to blog land however enjoying it so far. Just a thought can you take goats milk?

I don't do new year resolution either but know I have to become more active this year.

Crafty hugs Pen x

Barb said...

Hello Kate, It sounds as if you had a lovely Christmas with your son and daughter in law. I think I needed a break from blogging too as I found myself spending more time on the laptop and less cardmaking ending the day with very tired eyes.

Your card is beautiful. I' guess your son enjoys chess. Sure he'll love it.
Wishing you and Alistair a very happy new year and hope that now you've discovered your allergy you will feel better. Barbxx

Marianne's Craftroom said...

Good to see you, Happy New Year and what great colour card to start with too. Such a nuisance being intolerant of some foods sounds like you are sorting out well what you can and can't eat

rachel said...

A happy new year to you Kate. I love your chess card - its brilliant. good luck with the new eating regime - do let us know how it goes. I love your carolathon picture too - brilliant! Hugs Rachel x

pam said...

Wishing you A Happy New Year Kate! lovely to see you back blogging.
Glad you had a wonderful Christmas.
Good that you have found out some of your health issues..
Wonderful card design.
Pam x

Sue said...

Love your red, black and white card creation with the chess theme. Happy Birthday to your son. Glad you are feeling better. Picked you right out in the pictures you shared.

Hugs
Sue

judith@poppy cottage said...

Hi Kate, I was interested to read that you are dairy intolerant, and that you are avoiding yeast; I cannot eat yeast, as it causes me to have violent migraines. I am also dairy intolerant too, so have had to make big changes to my diet. I went to see an iridologist to get my food intolerances checked out, and it did change things for me. It was not a huge expense but was worth the effort. I hope that you feel better with your changes too.
Anyway, enough of my epic reply! Thank you for your entry into the Chocolate Baroque Challenge, a super card for Damian, great layout and use of the challenge colours. Happy New Year to you, Judith xx

aussie aNNie said...

Welcome back Kate...Fabulous creation, gorgeous colours and love the added goodies.xx
 {aNNie}

Flo Langley said...

Happy New Year Kate. Pleased you had a lovely Christmas. Some times you need to take a break from blogging and fb. Pleased you are sorting out the health issues. Hope all goes well and you get good results.
Gorgeous card.
Take care,
Flo xx

cotnob said...

It's lovely to see you Kate, wishing you a very Happy New Year.
I'm sorry to hear that you are intolerant to dairy, it is a struggle at first trying to find out what you can and can't eat but it will soon become easier - my youngest son is gluten intolerant and you would not believe some of the things that gluten pops up in!
A super card for Damian, a fabulous chess image
Pauline
x

meg said...

Happy New Year Kate, best wishes on the health front it's never easy adapting to a new diet regime. Love your chess card a great image and colouring

Lorraine said...

A fabulous card kate, gorgeous colours and design.
Hope you raised lots with your carolothon
Lorraine x

Rita said...

Happy New Year Kate. Sounds as if you had a really nice time over the festive season. I love your card and wish you good luck with the CB challenge too. Sorry to hear about you intolerance, but I'm sure you will manage it somehow. Keep Singing. Hugs Rita xxxx

Sandy said...

I wondered what happened to you Kate!!!! So glad to see you back. I know what you mean by needing a break.
You choral society is so talented. I can not tell you how many times I listened to the CD you kindly sent me.
I bet because of your new way of eating that you end up loosing weight too. But I congratulate you on doing so well. I love milk too!
Your birthday card is smashing and it is so good to see you!!
sandy xx

Diane said...

Happy New Year to you Kate, sounds like you had a wonderful time during the holidays. Love the adorable picture of you with the choral. Wonderful birthday design.

Hugs diane

dutchess said...

Happy new year Kate and so glad you are getting sorted out health wise ...I am dairy intolerant...along with wheat and lots of chemicals so I know the journey you are going through...the good news is starting to feel better and in control again....it's a bother but well worth it,and cooking your own food gives you confidence in everything you eat.....
Loving the card......so colourful xxxxx

Mrs A. said...

Your chess card is great. hubby is teaching our 8yr old grandson to play chess. He is really picking the rules of the game up fast. Don't make any resolutions either only those under my breath! Lol. Internet connection has been bad here with the high winds so have been forced off whether I like it or not. Hope you can manage to get your meals under control for what you can and can't eat. hugs Mrs A.

Rainey's Craft Room said...

Happy New Year Kate! Glad you had a good Christmas too.
What a great subject for your card today, love the chess theme, I'm sure Damian loved it. Sorry to hear about your food intolerances, so difficult to find recipes that taste nice using the substitutes but sounds like you have it under control.
Take care,
Lorraine

Carol said...

Happy New Year Kate, lovely to see you. I have the same problems with my gluten free diet, although as you say lots of information these days and much better labelling on all packaged food.

Super card...great use of the colours. Carol x

MRS DUCK said...

Hi Kate
Wonderful to have you back.
Your card fits the challenge beautifully (isnt that Kitty sooo cute....not as cute as Mr T, obviously)
Well, that's put paid to your 6 slices of heavily buttered toast and 3 pints of Speckled Hen lunches then! Hate to break it to you chuck but you may need to..........cook.......
Off now before you slap lol!
Ang x

Peanut said...

Welcome back Kate. Glad to hear you had a restful break. Bummer about your lactose intolerance. I don't take lactose too because it sends my psoriasis into overdrive. Not a fan of soy so I opt for nut milk, such as almond milk, cashew milk, hazelnut milk (with cocoa makes a delicious drink... liquid Nutella... ymmmm). It's a pain to start with but you get used to because nowadays there are so many delicious alternatives. Sorry for ambling... Love your card. And thank you for playing CB's colour challenge.
hugs Asha

Erika said...

HNY Kate good to hear you've got to the bottom of your health issues, now you should start feeling much better. There are lots of dairy alternatives around it is just getting used to the change but if you feel better that's the incentive.
You look as if you are enjoying the singing. Great action shot! Everyone is concentrating.
A lovely colour combo for the card challenge and your chess card works just perfectly. I love the matching background chess pieces.

Back to normal here too, as you put it, whatever normal is!

Hugs Erika. x